Below is an email Sandy sent to our family on June 6.

Hi all!

Just to keep you updated on the deer sightings: Saturday morning we came across a "family" of three (a fawn and parents), and on Sunday after church we saw a large white tail feeding in the shade by the woods.

On a less positive note, "road kill" is a frequent sight on the highways (maybe possums?). Last night we had so many "May flies" that they actually formed a layer on the front door and porch. Our downstairs neighbor sprayed them with bug killer and after he swept them away, it looked like sawdust had been sprinkled in the flower bed.

Tonight we went with four other couples to the home of some local temple workers (the Tukuafu's) who live in a "round house" near the river. The wife builds musical instruments (harps, dulcimers, psalteries, and banjos), and the couple plays them. After a tour of their unique home, they entertained us with some lovely music.

Sending much love...

P.S. The corn stalks in the fields are growing like crazy! Apparently they can grow as much as six inches a day!!

She sent this email on June 2.

Dear Ones ...

Just wanted to tell you how much we love and miss you and let you know that you're always in our thoughts and prayers. I'm glad we've made some happy family memories to reflect on during the next five months -- but oh how good it would feel to be together right this minute!

The summer tourist season has begun here and busloads of people are coming into town. On Thursdays your dad and I have been assigned to serve in the baptistry where there are always interesting people to meet. Today the young performing missionaries came to do baptisms, and also family and youth groups from Arizona, Missouri, and Utah.

It's easy to find something lovely/interesting to see every day in this rural setting. For example, the corn fields that were planted just weeks ago have changed from tiny green sprouts to stalks that must be about a foot tall now. Today your dad had a meeting after our shift, so I walked home from the temple. In the distance I spotted a deer jump the fence, cross the road, and then run into the nearby woods.
It was so neat!

For the most part it's quiet in our neighborhood, but my favorite sounds are when we get to hear the birds chattering, the temple bell ringing every hour on the hour, and trains whistling in the distance. Life is good.

Hugs and kisses to all!     SURE DO LOVE YOU EVERYBODY...

Yesterday, our home evening group went to the home of Tomosia and Irene Tukuafu. They live in Nauvoo in a round house next to the Mississippi River. They are from Hawaii; he is Tongan and she has a diverse heritage. They are ordinance workers, and she builds and play harps, dulcimers, psaltries, and banjos. They are the parents of 14 children and 56 grandchildren. Sister Tukuafu demonstrated some of the instruments she has built. They then played and sang for us. They served us fresh homemade herbal bread, and slices of watermelon. It was an enjoyable evening.

This bed is made from Mississippi River drift wood.

Loft

View from the loft.

As a young father, Brother Tukuafu speared fish in the ocean surrounding the island of Oahu, and fed his family.

Next to their home is Sister Tukuafu's workshop.

"The Music Maker"

Today I spent some time in the Baptistry as a recorder. A family from Utah came to do baptisms with their teenage children. One son was severally physically handicapped, though mentally normal. The father carried his disabled son into the font. Another son helped support his brother while the father stated the prayer. As the father immersed his disabled son, his other son supported the head of his brother and held his nose closed. I was mesmerized and emotional as I watched this example of faith and love. This is one of the highlights from serving in the Nauvoo Temple.

Last week I was home-bound with bronchitis. Sandy was ill last weekend, but was able to serve in the temple during the week. I served yesterday, Saturday, for the first time this week and sealed a couple from St. Louis, and their infant daughter. A sweet experience.

Today we attended the Iowa City Married Student Ward for the first time. It takes about two hours to drive from Nauvoo to Iowa City. There are about 45 couples in the ward, and they primarily attend either medical school, dental school, or law school at the University of Iowa. They are a sharp group of people and we really enjoyed attending church with them. The bishop, Jay Christensen-Szalansky, has served for six years. He teaches business administration at the University.

Stephanie and Mike Cluff are assigned to the ward as well. They are from Portland, OR, and are serving in the temple for six months. He is a home builder by profession. They are nice people, and we enjoyed being with them.

A Nauvoo Temple detail. There is a hallway on the main level known as the Hallway of Artifacts. Displayed on one wall are the following items:

o  Portraits of Joseph and Emma, and Hyrum and Mary, painted in the early 1840s.
o  A sword and scabbard belonging to Joseph Smith.
o  Temple clothing belonging to Mary Fielding Smith (Hyrum's wife).
o  Four keys to the original Nauvoo Temple.

I learned something new about temple work. It has been my understanding that once spirits in prison accept the gospel they go to paradise. According to Joseph Fielding Smith, spirits do not enter paradise until the ordinances are performed for them. "After they . . . have accepted the gospel of Christ, having the ordinances attended to in their behalf . . . [they] receive the passport that entitles them to cross the gulf." (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:158)

I also learned a different version of the John Taylor's watch story. John Taylor was in Carthage Jail when Joseph and Hyrum were killed. My understanding in the past has been identical to what is stated in the Institute Student Manual, Church History in the Fullness of Time, "A shot through the window from below hit the watch in his [John Taylor] vest pocket, stopping it at 5:16 and knocking him back into the room." According to the Joseph Smith Papers, John Taylor's watch was not struck by a bullet, but rather it broke when he fell onto a window ledge after having been struck in the back by a bullet. Here is a link to the latest version regarding John Taylor's watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOlH26SE55k. Here is a link to a Deseret News article concerning what was presented at Education Week in 2010 on the same subject:   http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705385933/Education-Week-Separating-facts-from-fiction-about-the-Prophets-death.html?pg=all

We enjoy serving in the temple. We also enjoy learning about the City of Nauvoo and the surrounding area. Being here is a choice blessing.

We drove to Montrose, Iowa this afternoon. It is located across the Mississippi River from Nauvoo. The photograph below is looking east from Montrose toward Nauvoo and the temple.

Below is a photograph taken on Montrose's Main Street looking east toward the temple.

When the saints were forced to leave Nauvoo in February 1846, they crossed the Mississippi to Montrose. The majority of the people who lived in Montrose at that time were LDS, and they joined the saints from Nauvoo and moved west. Newel Knight, one of the pioneers forced from Nauvoo, recorded the following in his journal as he stood on the Iowa side of the Mississippi: "Here we all halted and took a farewell view of our delightful city. . . .We also beheld the magnificent Temple rearing its lofty tower toward the heavens. . . .My heart did swell within me."

Interesting details about Montrose and Illinois:
     1)  When Montrose was settled there was a bluff nearby covered with wild roses, hence "mount rose."
     2)  There was an Indian tribe near Montrose known as the Illini, hence "Illinois."

After seeing Montrose we drove to the Aldi grocery store in Fort Madison, IA. On May 10 I wrote about the Aldi coin operated shopping carts. We saw the following sign today at Aldi, and got the official explanation for why they use this type of cart.

Today was our preparation day. We joined six other temple missionary couples for a guided Martyrdom Trail tour. Craig Dunn led the tour, which included a discussion of some of the events that transpired during the last two weeks of Joseph and Hyrum's lives, and a drive to Carthage and Warsaw. The route we took to Carthage was as near as possible the same road that Joseph and Hyrum followed.

A Nauvoo Temple detail. There is a wall clock just off the lobby that does not work. Sandy and I talked about the need to get it working since it's in the temple. We learned today that the clock does not work for a reason. It is set for 5:16 PM, the time that Joseph and Hyrum were martyred.

President McArthur (James) came to our apartment last night and gave us our ward assignment. We will be attending the Iowa City Married Student Ward which is 96 miles north of Nauvoo. The drive, one way, will take about 1 hr 47 mins. Mike and Stephanie Cluff of Portland ,Oregon, are assigned to the same ward. We will travel with the Cluffs beginning next Sunday. We are pleased with our assignment.